SCIENCE AND SOCIETY PROGRAM
College of Science University of the Philippines
SYLLABUS FOR NATURAL SCIENCE I
Course Description: FOUNDATIONS OF NATURAL SCIENCE I Course Objectives:
1. Develop a comprehensive and integrated understanding of the physicochemical world on a micro, as well as macro level.
2. Develop an appreciation for the natural world within the context of the basic concepts, principles and theories of physics and chemistry.
1. Introduction to the Natural Sciences
1.1 The Nature and Functions of Science 1.2 The Basic Ideas and Methods of Sciences
1.3 The Interconnections of Science and Technology
2. Ancient Views About Nature
2.1 Ancient Genesis Myths and Cosmological Beliefs 2.2 Ancient Notions About Matter and Motion
2.3 Ptolemy’s Geocentric Model and the Copernican Revolution
3. The Emergence of Physics
3.1 The Motion of the Planets: Kepler’s Laws
3.2 Galileo’s Concepts of Motion: Velocity, acceleration, Free Fall, Relativity
3.3 Galileo and the New Scientific Method
4. Newton’s Mechanical Synthesis
4.1 Newton’s Three Laws of Motion: Mass and Force 4.2 Newton’s Theory of Gravity: Action at a Distance 4.3 Absolute Space and Absolute Time; Inertial and Non-
Inertial Reference Frames
5. The Unification of Electricity, Magnetism, & Light
5.1 Electrical Phenomena: Coulomb’s Law
5.2 Magnetic Phenomena: Experiments of Oersted and Ampere 5.3 Electromagnetic Phenomena: Faraday’s Law of Induction 5.4 The Field Concept and Maxwell’s Electromagnetic Synthesis 5.5 Electromagnetic Waves, Light, and the Electromagnetic Spectrum 5.6 Waves and their Properties; the Ether Concept
6. Einstein’s Relativistic Revolution
7.1 The Search for the Ether: the Michelson-Morley Experiment 7.2 Postulates of Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity
7.3 Space, Time, Mass, and Energy According to Einstein 7.4 Foundations of Einstein’s General Theory
7.5 Four-Dimensional Space-Time: the Geometrization of Gravity 7.6 Experimental Tests of General Relativity
7. FIRST EXAMINATION (PHYSICS) 8. The Quantum World of Uncertainties
8.1 Blackbody Radiation and Planck’s Quantum Hypothesis 8.2 Wave Particle Duality: Photons and de Broglie Waves 8.3 The Rutherford Model of the Atom; Atomic Spectra 8.4 Bohr’s Theory and Quantization of Angular Momentum
8.5 Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle; Bohr’s Complementary Principle 8.6 Quantum Probabilities, Indeterminism and Randomness
8.7 Schroedinger’s Contributions
8.8 Concepts of Spin and Anti Matter: Dirac’s Electron Theory 8.9 Concepts of Fermions and Bosons
9. Probing and the Subatomic World
10.1 Nuclei: Protons, Neutrons, Atomic Masses, Isotopes 10.2 Nuclear Reactions: Radioactivity, Fission, Fusion 10.3 Particle Accelerators: Probe to Subatomic World 10.4 Quantum Fields, Virtual Quanta, and the Vacuum 10.5 The Strong Force and the Family of Hadrons 10.6 The Weak Force and the Family of Leptons 10.7 Quarks: their Flavors and Colors
10.8 Gluons and the Four Fundamental Forces of Nature 10.9 The Search for a Unified Theory
10. The Origin and Evolution of the Universe 11.1 The Cosmic Scenery: Planets, Stars, Galaxies, Quasars
11.2 The Expanding Universe: Hubble’s Law 11.3 Relativistic Cosmology: The Big Bang Theory
11.4 The Birth and Death of Stars: White Dwarfs, Neutrons Stars, Black Holes 11.5 The Synthesis of Matter
11.6 The Ultimate Fate of the Universe: Continuous Expansion or Eventual Contraction?
11. The Structure of Atoms
13.1 Atomic Orbitals and Quantum Numbers 13.2 Electronic Structure and Distribution 13.3 Electron Spin; Paramagnetism
12. SECOND EXAMINATION (PHYSICS) 13. The Elements of the Universe
14.1 Mendeleev’s Arrangement of the Elements 14.2 Build-up of Atoms and the Periodic Table
14.3 Periodic Properties of Elements: Atomic and Ionic Sizes 14.4 Ionization Energy and Electronegativity: Pauling and Mulliken
14.5 Metallic and Non-Metallic Elements: Filled Shells ad the Rule of Eight
14. The Ties That Bind: Chemical Bond
15.1 Formation of Molecules: G.N. Lewis Electron Dot Formula 15.2 Electron Transfer and Electron Sharing
15.3 Compounds: Polarity of Bonds, Geometry of Polar Molecules
15.4 Carbon, Silicon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, and Hydrogen and their Molecules 15.5 Hybrid Orbitals and Molecules of C, S, N, O, and H
15.6 Physical and Chemical Properties of the Molecules of C, S, N, O, and H 15.7 Occurrence of the Molecules of C, S, N, O and H
15.8 Metals: their Bonding and Properties
15. The Three States of Matter
17.1 Intermolecular Forces
17.2 Gases, Liquids, and Solids: Molecular Structures and Properties 17.3 Energies Involved in Phase Changes
16. Making and Breaking Ties: Chemical Reactions
18.1 Conservation of Electrons
18.2 Conservation of Mass: Stoichiometry 18.3 Spontaneous Reactions: Gibbs Free Energy 18.4 Thermodynamic Laws: Enthalpy, Entropy 18.5 Entropy in the Universe and in Life
18.6 Rates of Chemical Reactions: Molecular Collisions and Factors Affecting Collisions
17. Environmental Chemistry
19.1 Catalysts and the environment
19.2 Combustion: fuels, energy sources, and the environment
19.3 Concept of Limitation (renewable vs. Nonrenewable resources) 19.4 Pollution: soil, air, and water
18. Materials Science
20.1 Conductors/semiconductors (doping) 20.2 Liquid crystals
20.3 Organic polymers (plastics, etc.) 20.4 Lahar (pyroplastics, zeolties, etc.)
19. Chemistry of Life
21.1 The beginnings of organic chemistry 21.2 The building blocks of life
21.3 Giant molecules 21.5 Biochemistry 20. CHEMISTRY EXAM
READING MATERIALS Part I
1. The Value of Science 2. Ancient Science
3. The Harmony of the Worlds 4. Science in the Age of Faith 5. Galileo
6. God Said, “Let Newton Be!”
7. The Law of Gravitation, An Example of Physics Law 8. The Story of Electromagnetism
9. The Inertial Reference Frame 10. Conservation of Energy
Part II
1. Relativity
2. Inventing General Relativity 3. Relativistic Revolution 4. The Law of Quantum
5. The Road to Quantum Reality 6. The Last Classical Physicist 7. Probability and Uncertainty 8. The Privilege of Being a Physicist 9. Uncertainty and Complementarity
Part III
1. Classical and Modern Cosmology 2. The Standard Model
3. The Big Bang
4. The Birth Life and Death of the Stars 5. The Origin of the Universe
6. The Origin of Our Galaxy
7. Cosmology: Man’s Place in the Universe 8. Atomic Nucleus
Part I, II, III readings may be purchased from the Office of the Science and Society Program,
College of Science)
2. Instant Physics from Aristotle to Einstein, and Beyond, by Tony Rothman, A Byron Preiss Book, 1995.
COURSE POLICIES FOR NATURAL SCIENCE I
1. Minimum Passing Score
The minimum passing score for the course is 50%
2. Students who stop attending classes without officially dropping the course will be given a grade of “5”.
3. Examinations
There will be 3 to 4 long examinations and a final examination. 4. Exemption from the Finals
A student who gets an average score of at least 50% will be exempted from the final examination.
5. Failure to take the Examinations
A student who fails to take two (2) long examinations shall automatically incur the grade of “5” unless he drops the subject. No student may be exempted from the finals if he/she fails to take one (1) long examination. A student who fails to take the finals shall be given the grade of “5” unless his/her absence is strongly excusable. Excuse slips for missed exams should be presented not later than three days after the examination.
6. Weights of the Examinations
All the long examinations and final examination have equal weights.
7. Questions about the examinations will be entertained only within one week after graded examinations have been returned.
8. Computation of Grades
a. Physics Part is 50%; 90% of which may come from long examination and 10% from class performance (e.g. recitation, project, etc.) The professor may opt only for long examinations, in which case these examinations will constitute 100% of the physics grade. b. Chemistry Part is 50%; 100% of which may come from long examination and 20% from
9. Grading Scale
Final Weighted Score Final Grade 90 - 100% 1.0 85 - 89% 1.25 80 - 84% 1.5 75 - 79% 1.75 70 - 74% 2.0 65 - 69% 2.25 60 - 64% 2.5 55 - 59% 2.75 50 - 54% 3.0 45 - 49% 4.0 44 - 0% 5.0
